Nigeria 4!

[OneHeartySnail]

Let the conversation continue!

Good point. Perhaps the whole thing was funded in this way.

From what I can glean, there are two separate Nigerian senior figures being named who are alleged to be problematic, whom Harry met and from whom he accepted largesse.

1. Dr Allen Onyema, founder of Air Peace, alleged fraudster and money launderer and wanted in the US.
2. Oba Abdulrasheed Adewale Akanbi, one of the new 'in-law kings'. He is alleged to be a convicted fraudster banned from re-entry to the US, having in 1998 attempted to cash the stolen £247,000 cheque from aviation company Boeing.

These two are quickly becoming a liability. First off I felt sympathetic and just thought fine let them leave. Now I’m thinking they are being purposely antagonistic to the King.

There's something off about Invictus going along with all this as well. The past few years seem to have been more about financial interests of - and meeting the colonial and reputation needs of - the Invictus sponsors, H&M, and the militaries and elites from countries like Nigeria, Colombia and Israel, than meeting the needs of the injured former service personnel.

The Warrior Games still exists as an annual event in the US with international guest teams. It's taking place in about a month's time in Florida. It maintains far, far less problematic sponsors and 'patrons'. I know what I'd advise the UK veterans to do ...

Isn't it the case with so many charities that they forget what their core raison d'être is and who they are there to serve whilst empire building to serve ambitious senior executives and spending huge amounts of money on said execs.
Even the RNLI has attracted criticism for branching out globally. They make it sound worthy but how much are they spending on this? How many execs get to go on well paid jollies overseas?

I agree, Invictus needs to remember what it's there for.

Is it just me who cringes at the language in that RNLI shot? 'tailored, targeted interventions'? it sounds so patronising.

Sorry, OT.

@FannyCann excellent points 👍

@BemusedAmerican thanks for the link . Extremely interesting comments !

FannyCann thats a fair point, however H&M and Invictus are on a different scale altogether, accepting all that 'hospitality' from a location where the likelihood of ever holding an Invictus game is basically zero.

The RNLI is a great example of a charity which seems to have forgotten its raison d'etre. I think because it's so loved and respected, it has cash to waste on things like overseas projects. The CEO gets paid an absolute fortune while the people who actually save the lives are the volunteers.
Personally I would like RNLI to spend their cash on educating children in this country about water safety. We have a lot of rivers and ponds round us and as soon as the weather warms up, you've got stupid teenagers jumping in the water. It worries me so much.

The RNLI spends a small percentage of their donations on overseas interventions and certainly does not send “execs on well-paid jollies”.

When the right wing press recently tried to stir up the little Englanders on this issue, donations to the RNLI increased significantly.

Thanks for this.
An interesting article with very interesting comments.
So the Nigerian Chief of Defence is to blame? Sounds like he’s being thrown under the bus with that statement ‘from a source.’ I wonder what they think about that in Nigeria….?

This is why the UK government were right to distance themselves from the very start. I’m glad that’s made clear in the article too.

Agreed,

The invite for this trip should have arrived with alarm bells attached…

I suspect in the rush to organize what clothes to parade around in wear, get a film crew together and maybe some form of blessing for the trip from Invictus doing any form of due diligence went straight out of the nearest window.

That's the key question for me re: Invictus. Given the security (let alone human rights) situation, it seems incredibly unlikely Nigeria will be in a position to host the Games in the forseeable future. So there is no credible rationale for the trip under the IG banner.

So why did IG go along with it? They are beginning to look like a vehicle for promoting Harry (and Meghan), rather than Harry promoting IG

Not AFAICS.

I suppose it might still be available on the French TV site but haven't looked.

There is though a thread on it on Reddit that comes up in search results.

So there is no credible rationale for the trip under the IG banner.

Thoroughly agree.

Also thoroughly pissed off we've spent £26m trying to entice it here when completely random other countries are suddenly presented as being under consideration.

@CathyorClaire

I’m assuming that documentary is the one that was shown here (France) last week?

Obviously the team that produced that one will have edited for effect.

My own take on it was it didn’t reveal anything sensational, but OTOH it did highlight one or two seemingly really odd issues, the most weird thing was the listed Archewell business address/office they visited that turned out to be almost entirely unused and unfurnished.

As I recall it the presenters basically admitted they left town having hit a brick wall in terms of really finding out what was going on.

This jolly had nothing to do with Invictus as far as I can see, how does being made an African princess have anything to do with it? The whole thing stinks.

The RNLI do have programmes to educate children about water safety. Plus they have a presence at the seaside we visit, and I assume others, where they hand out leaflets and stuff to children reminding them about how to be safe in water.

notimagain I think it’s a new one, German this time. Yes, the Archewell offices were empty in spite of numerous trips there. Shortly afterwards there were pap pics of the Archwell office party to the basketball (I think)…

@MrsLeonFarrell I wish they would come to our local schools! It's such a worry round here in the summer as teenagers love to gather on the banks of the river and a lot are stupid enough to think they are strong enough swimmers to go in. Plus you get the idiots who jump off the bridges. Obviously as a parent I lecture my dcs every time they go but I still worry.

Thanks.

For info of anyone tempted to look I’ve just had a look at the streaming service I use (Canal+) and whilst at least one French Envoye Special, “Harry & Meghan Royal Business” pops up as a search result, along with a précis, annoyingly the actual video itself is not available ATM

I suspect in the rush to organize what clothes to parade around in wear,....

The clothes didn't look as if anyone had spent any time organising them. More like she grabbed whatever came to hand, rolled it up and chucked it in a suitcase.

I could have assembled a more suitable wardrobe for that trip from my local high street chain stores. And we don't even have M&S.

I wonder if the wardrobe was based on the arrangement with the clothing providers?

@notimagain https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=L4DMG6s-qXg